Ansible Challenge

luneblueue · October 18, 2023, 9:00am

Hi everyone

My team and I worked on this fun project called the Steampunk Ansible challenge. For anyone interested in joining it, even if you missed the start of the challenge, you can still join it, because this was only the first one. So don’t worry if you’re late to the game; there’s still a chance for you to showcase your expertise and win the prize

Here are some tips on how to solve the first challenge, to help you speed things along:

It is known that AI can have “hallucinations”, so be careful, for example, when looking at Ansible modules used in the playbook.
You can run the playbook locally and see if it works.

It would be more than welcome to get some feedback from you all, to connect, and to ask each other questions about the challenge or Ansible.

Let’s chat; here, on our Discord channel, or on Reddit.

The 2nd Challenge is on Thursday, 10/19/23, at 16.00 CEST sharp, as the time is counted from the start of each challenge, not from when you begin solving it.

And if you’re already a part of our challenge, would you mind disclosing what tools you’re using to solve it and why?

I’m all ears.

luneblueue · October 27, 2023, 10:16am

Challenge #3 began yesterday, but it is not too late yet!

To all competitors!

Three extra hints have been given on our Discord.

See you at the next challenge, on Nov9th.

Leo · October 27, 2023, 7:15pm

Thank you for sharing the start of the third challenge @luneblueue!

Also, and @luneblueue can correct me if I’m mistaken, the previous challenges (1 and 2) are still ongoing, so if someone wants to join on the fun right now, they are still in time to participate until the event finishes on the 30th of November. Right?

Instructions for each challenge (1, 2 & 3) to date below:

First challenge:

github.com

xlab-steampunk/ansible-challenge/blob/master/challenge-1/README.md

# AI-Powered Ansible Playbook Validation
This is the 1st challenge of the [Steampunk Ansible Challenge] competition.
See [general instructions](../README.md) for more info about the competition.

## Table of Contents
- [Scenario](#scenario)
- [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)
- [Tips](#tips)

## Scenario
You are DevOps engineer tasked with deploying a simple web page within a Nginx
Docker container using Ansible.
To expedite your development, you've turned to the latest advancements in
technology and partnered with an AI assistant, ChatGPT. 
ChatGPT has generated a [playbook.yml](playbook.yml) that appears to meet your
requirements.

However, as a DevOps professional, your mission is to validate this playbook
and ensure it is not just functional, but truly production-ready, with
impeccable quality, reliability, security, and trustworthiness.

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Second challenge:

github.com

xlab-steampunk/ansible-challenge/blob/master/challenge-2/README.md

# Tackling Ansible Upgrades (2.4 to 2.14)
This is the second challenge of the [Steampunk Ansible Challenge] competition.
See the [general instructions](../README.md) for more info about the
competition.

## Table of Contents
- [Scenario](#scenario)
- [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)
- [Tips](#tips)

## Scenario
You're newly appointed as a Senior Upgrader of Playbooks within Acme Corp.
Five years ago, your company started using Ansible for automation, and created
a webpage automation repository - the one you are looking at right now.
Using Ansible 2.4, all the rage back then, a lone wolf made deploying a
webpage into a single-click operation, which was a widely-celebrated company
breakthrough.

Of course, the person left for greener pastures between then and now.
You are now tasked with maintaining this, and other automation content for the

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Third challenge:

github.com

xlab-steampunk/ansible-challenge/blob/master/challenge-3/README.md

# A Secure File Server Deployment on AWS
This is the 3rd challenge of the [Steampunk Ansible Challenge] competition.
See [general instructions](../README.md) for more info about the competition.

## Table of Contents
- [Scenario](#scenario)
- [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)
- [Tips](#tips)

## Scenario
You are a diligent and experienced security engineer in a bustling tech
company.
Your primary role is to safeguard the company's infrastructure, ensuring that
all deployed services and systems met stringent security and compliance
standards.

One morning you get an email from the company's Chief Information Security
Officer (CISO).
The CISO send over 15 security and compliance rules and general guidelines,
the email contains A simple directive **"Review and ensure compliance for an

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luneblueue · October 28, 2023, 3:55pm

Yes, that is right. And the challenges will also be available to solve later.

Here is the timeline of the challenges up ahead.